The light in the center of my darkness

Mara is a single mother of two children who moved to GA two years ago to restart her life. Along the way she meets a few people and gets even closer to her best friend. Life threw her a curve ball and now she struggles to keep her secret from those who would restrain her independence.
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Chapters:

"I'm sorry." The pressure against my neck didn't increase, yet
it didn't disapate either. I was scared but all of a sudden the
pressure was gone as was the presence beside me. I heard
struggling and movement from nearby before the presence was back.
I sniffed the air and noticed that it wasn't the same presence
as before. I quickly jumped up and started to run before I was
pulled back.

"Don't struggle Mara, I just want to talk to you. I am sorry
about what went down. I don't know what I was thinking, I don't
know what came over me. You trusted me and I completely let you
down."

I pushed against him. "Let me down. LET ME DOWN!! ARE YOU
KIDDING ME. THAT IS A MILD UNDERSTATEMENT DAN. I WAS IN THE
HOSPITAL IN A COMA DAN. LET ME DOWN OH DAN THAT WAS SO FUNNY."

He grasped me harder and I screamed out. "Mara. I am serious.
I know that I can never make it up to you but you have to believe
me that I never wanted to hurt you. My sister had no right to
try and kill you. I am sorry for that as well. She is a very
protective sister and thought with you gone I would be alright,
but if you died I would have killed myself as well. I love you
Mara, more than you could ever understand. I have dreamt about
you for years and wanted nothing more than to hold you and love
you like Rick does now."

I yanked back as hard as I could and heard my shoulder pop. I
grasped it and moved away from him. "Dan, you took my kindness
and mistook it for weakness. You don't know right now what I
could do to you and not feel bad. I trusted you with everything
and you threw it away. Take your psychotic sister and get the
hell out of my life. I don't ever want to see you again. Cross
my path and I will find a way to kill you where you stand. Do I
make myself clear?"

He hugged me tight to him while I tried to wriggle out of his
grip. I then felt him thrown away from me and the sound of bone
hitting bone. I stood there for a moment just to make sense of
everything before I moved.

"Rick, enough. Let him go. It isn't worth it." I felt a hand
on the small of my back and held him tightly.

"Are you alright Mara?" The worry and panic in his voice shook
me to the core.

I nodded. "My shoulder hurts a bit and might need to be put back
in place, but I am alright. I thought for a moment there I was
dead and I couldn't tell you I loved you one last time."

He held me tighter to him. "I love you Mara and I won't let
anyone take you away from me. I was on the phone with the cops.
I am so sorry I left you alone with her. I can see the mark on
your neck and baby I am so sorry. I should have been there, I
don't ever want to lose you Mara."

I held on to him. "You won't lose me Rick, not ever. Now let's
get back inside to the kids and you can tell me the amount of
colored damage we will have to repair."

He chuckled. "How about we go inside and I check out the damage
and you call the doctor and start to pack your things. Remember
you did promise to move in with me."

I laughed. "Of course I remember love. Just like I agreed to
marry you. Now go check out the damage and I promise to make the
phone call."